by Samantha Numbers
In my sixteen years of being a wedding professional I have experienced record highs and lows of weddings and wedding ceremonies. I love being a part of them and feel it a privilege to witness a couple making promises of love and commitment to each other. I feel it a special honor to photograph weddings, because marriage is ordained of GOD. I would like to help any couple considering marriage to understand the wonderful blessings that come with marriage and why they should take the plunge. It can be scary but let me give you my reasons why it can bless your life.
From a biblical standpoint, marriage is ordained of GOD and it is not good that man should be alone. (Holy Bible, Exodus.) These are eternal principles! Wonderful. The start of every family ever created on the earth. You could be the parents of someone who cures a degenerative disease. You could be the parents of a great hero or one that defends our country valiantly in truth. Those are the more serious and most important reasons.
Next, is the very logical and happy part of having someone to cherish and spend your time with, not being alone all of the time in itself is fantastic. Having someone to talk to, to share your hopes and dreams with and experience life in all of its ups and downs is a great and wonderful thing, of which I think anyone can appreciate. No one wants to die alone. Everyone needs a friend, a best friend that you can confide in and talk to about your day, each and every day!
I don’t want to make this super long but I do want to stress that it’s way better to have someone than not. It’s better for your health, you’ll actually live longer, lower incidences of heart related deaths and someone to call 911 when you have a medical emergency. If you want to live longer, it’s a good idea to get married! If you want to have better emotional stability, it may be a good idea to get married. If you want to have someone who loves you and supports your good goals, get married!
Now of course there are a lot of boxes you have and I’m sure that they are very good and important reasons… and I should tell you that this is coming from someone who took about 9 credits in home and family, specifically marriage classes at BYU-Idaho. I want you to take that list and burn it! Some I’m sure are very logical and practical, maybe even essential for your family and future generations. Standards which you should stick to, maybe. But do keep in mind that some of the best people cannot be contained into boxes and checklists. Human beings are ever growing, ever evolving, ever changing. Some change for the better and some do not… it is your job to find the one that will. To find the one who will be your best friend, your companion through thick and thin, someone who will share all of the best and worst experiences of life with you, and still stick around through all of your bullshit, and forgive you and love you anyway. In short, be wise, but remember you are human too.
For those of you concerned about the cost of marriage and family… trust the LORD. Make wise financial decisions and talk to your parents of course, but remember that as long as both of you are trying your best, and using your brains, it will all work out. I do not recommend going into debt for a wedding unless you are absolutely certain you can pay it back in a reasonable amount of time, because then you are going to want a house, and a baby, and a vacation, and a new car, and so on and so forth. There will always be the next thing, and the next thing. Live within your means and have faith too. Spend what is reasonable for you and your specific circumstances, and be creative too! There are so many options in wedding planning and so many ways to save money. One of my jobs as a wedding planner (second wedding business) is helping couples stay within budget and acquire budget-friendly decor and book budget-friendly vendors, as needed.
Lastly, consider love. All of the best things start with love. Butterflies in your stomach, sweaty palms, nervous as anything… on your first date with your potential future spouse. This is it. What you have dreamed about your entire life! And of course it will be different for everyone, but there is a special feeling, a confirmation of the Holy Spirit, that you might have when you find the right one. Trust that GOD will carry you through all of it when you meet them… don’t stop in the middle of it! Keep going! Be brave and take that next step! The worst that could happen is that you could find out he or she is not actually the one. But that is knowledge in your pocket. If he or she does want to move forward with you… then you got it! You win! There is a very good reason that there are so many romance novels and romantic movies… love makes the world go round. Love is one of best feelings in this entire world. If you haven’t found it yet, keep searching, keep hoping, keep praying. If you need to repent, do it already and get on with it.
Some friendly advice for the men out there, being a gentlemen still works with the ladies. Think old classic black and white movies. Women LOVE this… women love chivalry even if they don’t come out and say it. Women love an man in a suit. Women love flowers. Who doesn’t love flowers? Take them to get ice cream, or gelato, or to dinner. Ask them your questions and be prepared to answer theirs! Remember ladies, the same goes for men too… men love a woman in a dress, classy and thoughtful and lady-like. Do your nails, curl your hair, take a shower and smell like a flower field, it’ll pay off. Be friendly and accommodating… you might get a few frogs first, but your prince or princess is most likely out there. Don’t judge people who have been divorced, half of them married frogs who robbed the cradle. Give them a chance and remember they may have more experience and more to offer than you might think.
All in all, good luck! I’m rooting for you to find the one, get engaged, plan your life together, and call me and tell me it all worked out! If you’re needing a wedding photographer or wedding planner, give me a call and we’ll get the thing done together! I’ve been doing this a long time… I’ve witnessed many marriages and know what works and what doesn’t. It’s often tender feelings of love, kindness, generosity, and hope that get us through. Genuine concern and care for the other person. Caring more about them than you do for yourself, wisely and efficiently. But not overthinking it and not expecting too much either, like I said before, we’re all human.
I hope your relationship, or whatever you’d like to call it works out and you do the work to stay together, love each other and make good choices every single day. You can do it! Love makes the world go round!
Sincerely,
Samantha Numbers
Wedding Photographer & Wedding Planner
